Submarine mask for atmospheric and autonomous breathing



NW, 15, 11949 N. BEDINI SUBMARINE M ASK FOR ATMOSPHERIC AND AUTONOMOUS BREATHING Filed Sept. 12, 1947 M w Q N E N Patented Nov. 15, 1949 SUBMARHNE MASK FOR ATMOSPHERIC AND AUTONOEEOUS BREATHING Nerino Berlini, Milan,

Socicta Per Azi Application September 12,

in Italy Febru 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a submarine breathing device, and more particularly to a breathing mask which permits the wearer, while submerged, to breathe air from the atmosphere above the water, and in addition is provided with a supply of respiratory gas which he may use for breathing when submerged at depths below which the normal atmospheric air cannot be supplied.

Submarine masks are known, having an upwardly extending breathing tube which permits the wearer to breathe directly from the air above the water when he is submerged at a relatively shallow depth. In this type of device the upper end of the breathing tube is provided with a valve automatically operated by a float, to prevent the entrance of water into the breathing tube whenever its open end is submerged, and to allow the passage of air as long as the tube projects above the water. Thus the wearer may work submerged but he must return at intervals, depending upon his lung capacity, to a point near the surface of the water to breathe.

Submarine masks are also well known, having an air or oxygen supply carried at high pressure in a container or bottle strapped to the wearers body, with a suitable from the container to the mask. This type of mask allows the wearer great freedom of action while submerged, while the length of time he may remain submerged is limited only by the capacity of the gas supply. However, the submersion time can be increased still more if a mask of the type having independent respiratory gas supply is also provided with a means for allowing the wearer to breathe the surface air when he is submerged at shallow depths, while conserving the supply of gas in the container.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a submarine mask, whereby the wearer to remain submerged for periods of relatively long duration, characterized by the fact that it is combined with automatically operated means for permitting the wearer to breathe from the atmosphere while yet submerged, together with means to supply the wearer with a respiratory gas when the atmospheric air supply is withdrawn.

Another object of the invention is to provide a submarine mask permitting the wearer to remain submerged for periods of relatively long duration and characterized by the fact that it is provided with a respiratory gas supply for use when the wearer is submerged at relatively great deptl and means automatically operated whereby, when the gas supply is cut ofi, the wearer may means for feeding the gas Italy, assignor to Pirelli oni, Milan, Italy 1947, Serial No. 773,703 ary 1, 1947 breathe air from the atmosphere at relatively shallow depths.

The above and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of the device as worn by a' nostrils. A window lc, of transparent material, such as glass, is fitted into the front portion of the face piece. Secured to an opening in lower front portion of the face piece is a coupling 8. is connected to this coupling by ing with a storage bag 4,

valve 2. The construction of this valve may be of any conventional design, containing a core which may be rotated by the hanin one position a passage is formed between the breathing tube 3 and the mouthpiece other position a between the hose I6 and the mouthpiece I.

The bag 4 is hereinafter termed a lung bag, so called because it is used to store gas to be breathed, and may be made of any pliable water proof material, such as rubber. It is shaped somewhat in the shape of an inverted truncated pyramid with the small end down, permitting it more evenly strap 2| fits around the wearers neck and is adjustably attached to the lung bag 4 while submerged passage is formed to the breathing tube 3.

by means of the buckles 20. When in position the lung bag 4 is worn over the chest as shown in Fig. 1. Another strap 23, provided with the adjustable buckle 23a, is attached to the lower portion of the lung bag 4, and fits around the waist to keep the lung bag 4 from swinging away from the body when the wearer is inclined in a forward position. A container 5 for a respiratory gas such as oxygen is supported in a sling having two straps 22, attached to the bottom of the lung bag i and which straps are adapted to encircle the container 5. The container 5 may be a conventional metal cylinder, or bottle, commonly used for compressed gases, and is provided with an adjustable regulator valve 6 of the'usual type. The tube 18 connectsthe outlet from the valve 6 to the inlet port of the lung bag 4, If oxygen is supplied to the lung bag 4, a purification cartridge l1 may be positioned inside. The breathing tube efwhich may be made of any rigid material, extends upwardly from the three-way valve 2, andbackwardly to'a point a short distance behind the wearers head, so that when he is floating su merged at a shallow depth, facing the bottom, the upper end of the breathing tube 3 will project above water. The upper end of the breathing tube is provided with an automatically operated valve device 9 and it, to permit air to pass into the breathing tube when the upper end of the tube is above water but which, before the end of the tube becomes submerged, will close off the passage to prevent the entrance of water. Conversely, when the upper end of the tube 3 emerges intotheair from a submerged position, the air passage is automatically re-opened. This valve device, 9 and 24, is the subject matter of a co-pending application, Serial. No. 770,796, filed August 27, 1947, and forms nopar't of this invention. The device comprises a bell-shaped spray shield 24 having a substantially flat lower portion 24a, provided with a'n'umber of openings 25b to permit air to enter the spray shield. Thefioat 9 is provided with a hole through its central portion to allow it to beslidably positioned on the breathing tube,

3. A stop 9 limits downward movement of the float when out of water, but when the device is submergedrthe bouyancy of the-float pushes it upagainst'the flat portion 24a of thespray shield, thus closing the openings 2e11, dotted lines in Fig. '2. A- drainage valve I9 is providedin the lower portion of the breathing tube. I r

The upper end of the breathing tube 3 is provided withfa plug id shaped to close the end of distance away from the end of the tube by a coil sp iiig 14 attached, as by spot welding, to the inside of the tube 3. A wire 5! is attached to the center of the plug three-way valve '2 a hollow tube i5 is joined inwardly and downwardly toward the three-way valve The wire it is'carried on the'inside of the breathingtube 3 for a'portion of 'itslength. until; it reaches "the poiht where tube he joins" breathing'tube it. ,From this point the wire H isea T -ythe tube l5. The'lower end oftube f5 is provided with 'a packing gland 15a, through which the wire H passes. This packing gland allows the wire to Ill, but prevents entrance of water into the tube. Projecting from the 2--away-irom the handle is is--a-shaft-za whieh is; attached to the core=of the valve concentric,

as shown by the the tube. Normally the plug is supported a short it. At apoint above the The tube [5 extends.

be pulled to operate the plug side of the three-way valve lines in'Fig. 1A,

' pull the plug is,

From the foregoing, breathing device with its axis of rotation. Attached to this shaft is an arm 52. The wire H is pivotally attached at We to the end of the arm 2. The arm is positioned so that when the three-way valve is in the position to admit air from the breathing tube 3 into the mouthpiece l, the arm will be in position shown by the solid lines in Fig. 1A, and the plug 28 will beheld away from the upper end of the breathing tube by the spring l. When the three-way valve is rotated by the handle 53 to the position shown by the dotted the "mouthpiece i will be connected to the'flexible hose it, and the arm 12 will by means of the wire ll, into engagement with the end of the breathing tube it will be clear that the described and illustrated herein is adapted; to enable a submarine worker to remain submerged for relatively long periods or time. While the worker is so engaged he may be located at considerable depths while his supply of gas is suflicient, and he need not return to the surface to obtain fresh air but only close enough to enable the upper end of the air tube to project above the surface of the Water.

I claim:

1. A submarine breathing device comprising a face mask, a mouthpiece, an upwardly extending re-athing tube, a container for respiratory gas, means to connect either said breathing tube or said container to said mouthpiece, a spray shield attached to the upper end of said breathing tube, a valve within said shield and adapted to open or close the upper end of said tube under the control of said means, an opening provided in the lower portion of said spray shield to allow the passage of air into the tube, and a float provided with a hole therethrough permitting it to be slidably positioned on said breathing tube below the opening in said spray shield, a portion of said float cooperating with said opening to prevent the entrance of water into said breathing tube when the float is submerged.

2. A submarine face mask, a mouthpiece, an upwardly extending breathing tube, a container for respiratory gas, a lung bag shaped in the form of an inverted truncated pyramid, means to support said lung bagover the chest of the wearer, means to support said respiratory gas container from the bottom of said lung bag, means to conduct gas from said container to said lung bag, means to connect either said breathing tube or said lung bag to said mouthpiece, a spra shield attached to the upper end of said breathing tube, a valve within said shield and adapted to open or close the upper end of said tubeunder the control of said means, an opening provided in the lower portion of said spray shield to allow the passage of air into the tube, and a float provided with a, hole therethrough permitting it to be 'slidably positio'n'ed on said breathing tube below the opening in said spray shield, a portion of said float coope'rating with said opening to prevent the entrance tube when the float breathing device comprising a said valve the mouthpiece may-be connected either to said breathing tube into said breathing tube when the iloat is subsubmerged, a plug adapted to close the upper end said plug and said three-Way valve so that when breathing tube, said arm being positioned on said 4. A submarine breathing device comprising a of i breathing t b face mask, a uthpiece, an upwardly eXteIldiIlg 7. A submarine breathing device comprising a breathing t projecting above Said mask and face mask, a mouthpiece, an upwardly extending throu h which ir may be admitted, a container breathing tube projecting above said mask and said m u hp breathing tube and s 5 of an inverted truncated pyramid, means to suptainer to said three-way valve 50 that y m port said lung bag over the chest of the wearer,

dap d to 01056 e upper d 1" a d th n a three-Way valve, said valve being provided with of said breathing tube. core of said valve the mouthpiece may be con- A Submarine b Ba devlce compllslng a nected either to sald breathing tube or to said face mask a mouthplece, a breathing tube p olung bag, a spray shield attached to the upper may be admitted, a container f r r p ory g In the lower portion of said spray shield to allow s d v sald valve being provided w a rowith a hole theretrrou h p81 mlttm it to be s11dtatable core, said core havlng a shaft concentric ably pos t oned on m breathlng t b b l the with its axis of rotation an arm extendlng rae m in said spray shield a portion of said d a y from said shaft, means to connect said float cooperating with said opening to prevent gas Container, a plug adapted to close the open tube, and a wire connecting said plug and said e d Of d breathing tube, Spring means F- arm, said wlre running for a portion of its len th mally urging said plu away from th nd f S m within said breathing tube, said arm bein pOSltu a a Wire ecting said plug and said oned on said shaft so that when said core is wi hin said brea h n tube, s id rm ng posibag the plug will be pulled into position to close 'oned on said shaft so that when said core is the up er end of said breathing tube,

rotated to connect the mouthpiece to the gas NERINO BEDINI, container said plug will be pulled into position to close the open end of said breathing tube. REFERENCES CITED 6. A submarine breathing device comprising a The fouo face mask, a mouthpiece, an upwardly extending file of this Wing references are of record m the patent I through which air may be admitted, a container UNITED A E A ENTS for respiratory gas, a three-way valve, said valve Number Name Date bein provided with a rotatable core, said core 5 having a shaft concentric with its axis of rota- 532 n tion, an arm eXtending radially from said shaft, 1 324514 Muller 1919 means to connect said mouthpiece, breathing 1946126 Black 1934 tube, and gas container to said three-way valve 2317236 Wflen 1943 so that by rotation of the core of said valve the 2:408:166 figii i 1946 

